Echeveria plant named &#39;TSAECH1820&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Echeveria  plant named ‘TSAECH1820’ which is characterized by improved plant vigor, an abundance of succulent foliage tightly held in a compact stemless rosette, heavily glaucous foliage at and near the center of the rosette which generally appears to be a mixture of blue-gray and greyed-green, foliage towards the outer whorls of the rosette which becomes decreasingly glaucous and therefore progressively darker, closer to greyed-green, foliage which is conspicuously margined and tipped pink, and the stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rightsapplication number 2018/1026, filed Apr. 13, 2018, which is hereinincorporated by reference.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus andspecies of the novel variety disclosed herein is Echeveria hybrid.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Echeveria disclosedherein has been given the variety denomination ‘TSAECH1820’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘TSAECH1820’ is a seedling selection resulting from thecontrolled pollination of an unnamed and unpatented Echeveria pulidonisplant, the seed parent, with an unnamed and unpatented Echeveria lauiplant, the pollen parent. The crossing was made by the inventor in thespring of 2014 at a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, theNetherlands. In the summer of 2015, one seedling resulting from thecross of 2014 was observed to exhibit unique growth and foliagecharacteristics and was isolated for further evaluation in order toconfirm the distinctness and stability of the characteristics firstobserved. Upon confirmation of distinctness and stability, ‘TSAECH1820’was selected for commercialization.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar‘TSAECH1820’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated inthe spring of 2016 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse inHeerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Through four subsequent generations, theunique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true totype.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘TSAECH1820’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘TSAECH1820’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘TSAECH1820’ as a new and distinct Echeveria cultivar:

-   1. ‘TSAECH1820’ exhibits improved plant vigor, with lower mortality    rates under adverse climatic conditions; and-   2. ‘TSAECH1820’ exhibits an abundance of succulent foliage tightly    held in a compact stemless rosette; and-   3. ‘TSAECH1820’ exhibits heavily glaucous foliage at and near the    center of the rosette, the color of which has a general appearance    of a mixture between blue-grey and greyed-green; and-   4. ‘TSAECH1820’ exhibits foliage towards the outer whorls of the    rosette which becomes decreasingly glaucous and therefore    progressively darker, closer to greyed-green; and-   5. ‘TSAECH1820’ exhibits foliage which is conspicuously margined and    tipped pink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of‘TSAECH1820’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, theNetherlands. This plant is approximately 12 months old, shown planted ina 12 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliagearrangement of ‘TSAECH1820.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of thejuvenile and mature foliage of ‘TSAECH1820’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of themature foliage of ‘TSAECH1820’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in December of 2018describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 12 months old‘TSAECH1820’ plants grown in 12 cm nursery containers at commercialgreenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Plants were produced usingconventional greenhouse production protocols for Echeveria plants whichconsisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, andchemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug andBotrytis as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percentshade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began tomature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to theplants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘TSAECH1820’has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety maydiffer from the descriptions set forth herein with variations inenvironmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations arebased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘TSAECH1820’ and comparisons with the parentplants and closest known comparator are provided below.

-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a            stemless basal rosette.        -   Plant shape.—Flattened.        -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—4.7 cm.        -   Plant spread.—Average of 14.0 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast growing.        -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting            — Approximately 21 days at 18 degrees Celsius. Crop time —            Approximately 35 weeks to produce a marketable plant in a            10.5 cm container.        -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither            resistance nor susceptibility to typical Echeveria pests and            diseases has been observed.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10            to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;            moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once            established; high tolerance to wind.-   Root system:    -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Attachment.—Sessile.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 50 leaves per rosette.        -   Shape.—Obovate to broad oblanceolate.        -   Dimensions.—5.8 cm long, 2.4 cm wide, and 0.7 cm thick, on            average.        -   Aspect.—Slightly concave and very slightly curved upwards.        -   Attitude.—Juvenile foliage at the center of the rosette is            held upward and outward; foliage becomes progressively more            relaxed towards the outer whorls of mature foliage, at an            average angle of 20 degrees to horizontal.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Long cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire; not undulated.        -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial            surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; moderately to heavily            glaucous.        -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial            surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; moderately to heavily            glaucous.        -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Nearest to in            between greyed-green and yellow-green, RHS 191A and 148B,            and fading to a lighter shade of yellow-green towards the            base, nearest to RHS N148D; distally margined and tipped            greyed-red, nearest to RHS 182B; the epicuticular wax            covering the leaf surface is nearest to in between            blue-green and greyed-green, RHS 122D and 188C. Juvenile            foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS            148B, and fading to a lighter shade of yellow-green towards            the base, nearest to RHS N148D; distally margined            greyed-red, nearest to RHS 181C, and tipped a darker shade            of greyed-red, nearest to RHS 182A; the epicuticular wax            covering the leaf surface is nearest to in between            blue-green and greyed-green, RHS 122C and 188D. Mature            foliage, adaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS            148A, and fading to a lighter shade of yellow-green towards            the base, nearest to RHS 146C; margined greyed-red, nearest            to a mixture of RHS 181B and 181C; the epicuticular wax            covering the leaf surface is nearest to in between            blue-green and greyed-green, RHS 122D and 188C. Mature            foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS            147C, and heavily suffused with greyed-red towards the apex,            nearest to a mixture of RHS 178A and 178B; margined            greyed-red, nearest to a mixture of RHS 181B and 181C; the            epicuticular wax covering the leaf surface is nearest to in            between blue-green and greyed-green, RHS 122C and 188D.        -   Venation.—No venation is visible.        -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile.

INFLORESCENCE

No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANT AND CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TSAECH1820’ differ from the seed parent, anunnamed Echeveria pulidonis plant (not patented), in the followingcharacteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘TSAECH1820’ Seed parent General coloration Amixture of blue-gray and Blue-green. of the foliage. greyed-green,although darker than the parent. General coloration Pink. Red. of themargins.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TSAECH1820’ differ from the pollen parent,an unnamed Echeveria laui plant (not patented), in the followingcharacteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘TSAECH1820’ Pollen parent Plant vigor. Morevigorous than the Less vigorous than pollen parent; lower ‘TSAECH1820’;higher mortality rate under mortality rate under adverse climaticadverse climatic conditions. conditions. Abundance of More abundant thanthe Less abundant than foliage. pollen parent. ‘TSAECH1820’. FoliageLonger and more narrow Shorter and broader than dimensions. than thepollen parent. ‘TSAECH1820’. General coloration Generally appearing as aGenerally appearing as of the foliage. mixture of blue-gray and verilypale blue-gray to greyed-green, although nearly white. darker than theparent.

COMPARISONS WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘TSAECH1820’ differ from the closest knowncommercial comparator, Echeveria sp. ‘Orion’ (U.S. Pat. No. 26,228), inthe following characteristics described in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘TSAECH1820’ ‘Orion’ General Generally appearingas a Generally appearing as a coloration mixture of blue-gray andmixture of blue-gray and of the foliage. greyed-green, althoughgreyed-green, although darker than ‘Orion’. lighter than ‘TSAECH1820’.General Generally appearing as a Generally appearing as a colorationdarker shade of pink. lighter shade of pink. of the margins.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Echeveriaplant named ‘TSAECH1820’, substantially as described and illustratedherein.